Striped Bass Anglers Needed for Volunteer Angler Survey

DURHAM, N.H. -- This time of year, striped bass are starting to arrive in New Hampshire’s coastal waters. With their arrival, anglers from near and far flock to the state's coastal rivers, estuaries and ocean waters to pursue this popular sport fish.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is conducting a Striped Bass Volunteer Angler Survey and we need your help! The annual striped bass survey has been ongoing since 1993 and the information collected is used in the annual coast-wide stock assessment for striped bass.

It's easy to take part, simply fill out a logbook (found at www.fishnh.com/marine/striper_survey.html) each time you fish for striped bass in New Hampshire waters. Volunteer angler survey participants are asked to measure each fish they catch.& Fish and Game’s Striped Bass Volunteer Angler Survey is the only method we currently have of getting length measurements on fish that are released. This important data helps state and federal fisheries biologists assess the status of the striped bass population each year.

To help boost participation in the voluntary survey, the Coastal Conservation Association of New Hampshire (CCA-NH) has supported the project since 2000 by distributing survey forms to its members, signing up participants at sporting shows, and posting information at access sites and sporting goods stores. Each year, CCA-NH also donates a signed and framed, first-of-state striped bass print, “Shadow” by Victor E. Young. Fish and Game raffles off this special print to a lucky Striped Bass Survey volunteer.

Last year, Kittery Trading Post joined the effort by donating a Penn Fierce rod-and-reel combo that was raffled off to a second lucky participant. Both of these prizes will be supplied again in 2012, so while you’re on the water, keep a rod in one hand and a pen in the other!

The 2011 winners were Cody Cartnick of Dover, N.H., who won the striped bass print. Cartnick has participated in the survey since 2006. Philip Giuffrida of Lowell, MA, won the Pen Fierce rod and reel combo donated by Kittery Trading Post for the 2011 season. Giuffrida vacations on New Hampshire’s coast, where he spends most of his days fishing and teaching the art of catching striped bass to anyone that wants to learn.

If you are interested in participating in Fish and Game's Striped Bass Volunteer Angler Survey, visit www.fishnh.com/marine/striper_survey.html or contact Marine Biologist Becky Heuss at 603-868-1095 or Rebecca.Heuss@wildlife.nh.gov.

Fish and Game's work conducting the Striped Bass VolunteerAngler Survey is funded in part by the federal Sport Fish Restoration Program, a user-pay, user benefit program.